Hey Arnold!: 516
by smashulie1
Summary: Helga Pataki was uprooted from Hillwood City in the midst of middle school. After failing to adjust to a new life away from the only home she had ever known, she is sent back to Hillwood for her junior year of high school and encounters all her old schoolmates. Some are happy to see her, others not so much. (A finished version of Hey Helga)
1. Chapter 1

Hello! So a few months back I posted a partially written fanfic called Hey Helga. I took it down because after reading it over I realized what a rough draft it was. This is the polished and finished version of that story.

I love all feedback and I look forward to any and all comments I might receive. :)

This story is overall light, there is some curse words here and there, but nothing much past that.

Thank you and enjoy!

P.S. I try to keep these characters as canon as I possibly can. All these characters do not belong to me, they belong to Craig Bartlett.

...

Almost five years had passed since Helga G. Pataki had moved away from Hillwood City.

When Helga's parents separated the young girl was on the verge of thirteen and she could not exactly say she was shocked. Miriam was a miserable alcoholic and her dad, "Big Bob" was distant to say the least; her family life was toxic, the separation was a messy end to a turbulent saga. Although relieved that she had a chance to live a more peaceful home life now that her parents wouldn't constantly be at each other's throat, Helga felt a desperation to cling on to the only life she had ever known.

Outside of her immediate family struggles, she finally felt hope and promise. Helga blossomed in the short time after the most eventful summer of her young life. She and her class traveled to San Lorenzo and Helga felt her world shift during that trip. She was able to help the one person she had doted over for the better part of a decade and in return it seemed he felt something back.

Something more than friendship; this made Helga shine.

Before adolescence she was mean and brooding but after the events in San Lorenzo Helga let herself open up more. She was slowly becoming openly creative, almost friendly and even slightly patient at times in which she would have usually pummeled someone.

This new Helga found herself more liked by her peers, especially Arnold. He now saw a kindred spirit in Helga that he had never felt with other girls at his school, it made him feel good watching her hard demeanor melt away and become one of his closest confidants, maybe something more. Because of her, Arnold was reunited with his parents and his life could not have been more complete. He was grateful and wanted to show Helga that as much as he could after they returned home from San Lorenzo. When she left so suddenly, Arnold was stunned. He had never known a life without her in it, regardless if whatever role she played had been big or small; at any given time, Helga was always there.

Helga's classmates heard the news about her parents separation and her move through word of mouth. It had happened so fast, most of the kids at P.S. 118 thought she was out sick, until word caught up to them. Arnold heard it first from Helga's best friend, Phoebe.

"Helga wanted me to tell you…" Phoebe let out a soft sigh.

"What is it Phoebe? Is she going to be late again to kickball?" Arnold grinned and looked over at her, but after he completed his sentence Arnold could tell it was more than that by the way Phoebe was looking at her shoes, trying to find the courage to complete her sentence. His face dropped as he watched her struggle. Phoebe herself was stung by the fact that her childhood best friend was moving so far away, and she was finding the task of relaying this to Arnold almost too much to handle.

"She's moving away. Her parents are getting a divorce." Phoebe winced. Saying it out loud was painful.

"What?"

"She wanted me to tell you not to bother going to her house, she'll be gone by the time school is out." Phoebe said this as fast as she could, she felt awful having to be the one to tell all of this to Arnold.

"I don't understand?" Arnold looked at Phoebe blankly.

"Arnold, I think… I think she just couldn't say this to you herself. You know?" Phoebe looked up at him empathetically.

Arnold looked down at Phoebe and without a word turned on his heel and began to run towards the bus stop. He didn't believe she'd be gone like that, without even telling him herself. She was one of his best friends now, if not something more; there's no way she would do this.

After a quick bus ride and a dash down several blocks, he had reached the front of Helga's house. He leaned over to catch his breath and then made his way up her stoop to knock on the door. Big Bob flung it open.

"Whaddya want!?" He looked down at Arnold. "Oh, you're one of Helga's little friends…" Bob's shoulders slumped down and his face drooped for a bit before he went stone faced again.

"She's not here!" Bob yelled and slammed the door in Arnold's face before he could even mention her.

That was it. He didn't understand how she could leave so abruptly, without even a goodbye. He was confused and even a bit angry. Nobody, not even Phoebe knew how to get in contact with her. Arnold was overwhelmed with the feelings of someone else so close to him leaving without a trace after his life was beginning to feel complete.

His hope that she would return to Hillwood diminished over time. In the first months following Helga's absence Arnold tried to team up with Phoebe and figure out where she had moved too, but they had no luck. It was one of the few times in his life where he began to realize he could not solve every problem he faced and that ate him up inside.

"How could she just leave like that, Gerald?"

"I dunno man," Arnold's best friend sighed, "she must be going through a lot though with her parents splitting and all."

"But am I that unimportant? She didn't even let me know she was moving. I had to find out from Phoebe." Arnold narrowed his eyes and slumped down on the bench he was sitting on.

"I don't think it was that," Gerald patted Arnold on the back, "I'm sure you'll hear from her soon."

"Who knows anymore, Gerald." Arnold looked at the ground while the pair sat together in silence.

...

Over a year passed and he felt that any search for her ran cold. Arnold finally decided he couldn't hold onto her any longer or he would not be able to enjoy life. So slowly and painfully he tried to forget the imprint she had made on him and move on. After a while life _almost_ felt normal again.

With her emotions lost in the memories of her old life, Helga let her school work, her social life and new home life become corrupted. When her mom finally had it with her, Helga was failing almost every class she was in, she had been caught and suspended on several occasions for various delinquencies and arguing with Miriam was a daily ritual. During this lonely time, the only thing Helga could confide in was her journal and the letters she would write to the people she held dearest. She never planned to show anyone these letters but it helped her feel some connection with her friends, as small as it was. At first she couldn't bear the thought of anything more than these secret letters, because hearing their voice or the thought of their returned contact made Helga feel even farther from them. All she thought it would do is cement the fact that they were so far away from her. By the time she felt ready to talk with her old friends, she felt it was too late to reach out because so much time had passed. So she continued her new and empty life, letting her old life in Hillwood become nothing more than a fond memory while she spiraled more out of control.

At her wits end, Miriam decided she had no other option but to send Helga back to Hillwood City to live with her father in the home she grew up in.

" _Maybe he'd be able to reign our daughter in,"_ Miriam thought _._

Helga was going to finish out the rest of high school there. It was the first moment in the last five years Helga felt optimistic for the future. Before this point, the last good memory she had was tucked away with Hillwood, her classmates, her best friend Phoebe and of course… Arnold.


	2. Chapter 2

Eleventh Grade Year

Helga made her way down the hallway of her new high school, Hillwood High. It felt like she was in a dream, she never thought she'd be here in the same place as her old school mates, and her stomach was in knots with the idea of how they would greet her. They had to have changed, she did. Helga now out of pigtails, her straight blonde hair swayed freely down past her shoulders. She adorned mascara and shaped eyebrows. Her tomboy nature was still present, but had been toned down as she grew older. Her pink bow lost before the move from Hillwood years earlier, she sported less pink, instead replacing it with darker colors.

"Helga! Is that you?" Helga turned to see a stringy haired teen with snakeskin boots.

"What's it to you?" Helga responded, but couldn't hide a slight smile. It was Sid, she was happy to see her first familiar face.

"Wow Helga, you look so different!"

"Jeez Sid, you make it sound like I have antenna growing out of my head." Helga scoffed.

"No, you look good Helga. Like, like way better than before."

"Okay… thanks?" Helga narrowed her eyes.

"Nobody had any idea you were coming back, I gotta go let them know!" Sid headed down the hallway. "See ya around, Helga!"

Helga held her stomach as she got closer to her first class, her mind was now racing with the thoughts of who she was going to run into next. She turned the corner and stopped. Ahead was Phoebe, slightly taller, her sleek jet black hair up in a ponytail. She was giggling and batting her eyelashes at a tall, mahogany skinned boy. Helga immediately recognized him as Gerald. Phoebe stopped and her jaw dropped as she looked over Gerald's shoulder and saw her oldest friend.

"H-Helga!?"

"That's right Pheebs! The one and only," Helga beamed at Phoebe.

"Well well, Helga G. Pataki, I never thought anyone would see you again!" Gerald proclaimed. He turned and nudged Phoebe who was now slack jawed staring at Helga. "Babe, you okay?" Phoebe threw her books into her locker, slammed it shut and stormed past both of them. Gerald shrugged apologetically at Helga and followed after Phoebe.

"Wow, that wasn't the warm welcome I was hoping for…" Helga exhaled as her excitement faded. She looked down at her class schedule and began to walk woefully in the opposite direction towards her class.

As Helga entered the classroom she was greeted with a few old peers, Harold, Stinky, Sid, and Rhonda were all spread throughout the seats.

"Well hooey! Is that Helga Pataki?" Stinky drawled. "I thought you were makin' it up, Sid."

"No man, I told you it was her! Crazy, right?" Sid gave Helga a thumbs up.

"Helga? That couldn't be Helga, she looks like a girl!" Harold laughed.

"Shut up pink boy!" Helga clenched her fists.

"It really is her! Welcome back, Helga!" Rhonda waved her over. "Come sit by me and Nadine, I want to hear all about your life outside of Hillwood!"

"Uhm, sure Rhonda." Helga went and sat down in the desk next to her classmate. For the most part Rhonda, Harold, Stinky and Sid had stayed the same besides the fact that they were taller and at the tail end of puberty. Rhonda had filled out, she was pretty and fashionable. Harold was still huge, but what he was in girth back when they were kids he had also now grown in height, he wore a Letterman's jacket and Helga assumed he was now some sort of jock. Sid sported a few zits and Stinky was just as tall and lanky as ever with scraggly hairs growing from his chin. As Helga caught up with her old pals, she felt guilty for the reaction Phoebe gave her and couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment that she hadn't ran into Arnold yet.

 _Does he still even go here?_ She wondered to herself.


	3. Chapter 3

Arnold went about his morning sleepily pulling books out of his locker and getting ready for his first period class. It seemed like any other first day of school, tired from a late last night of summer and dreading to begin classed again. He was already excited for this day to be over so he could just play ball with Gerald after school. Arnold and Gerald continued to upkeep Gerald Field and it was usually where the two could be found, sometimes accompanied by their other schoolmates.

"Yo, Arnold! You won't believe who I just saw!" Gerald greeted his best friend with their usual handshake. "Phoebe flipped, man. She's pretty upset, I just walked her to class."

"Who, Gerald?" Arnold couldn't think of why anybody here would upset Phoebe.

"Who do you think, man? Helga Pataki!"

"What? Gerald, you sure?" Arnold felt his face get hot.

"Yeah, I'm sure!" Gerald nudged him. "Who'd ever thought she'd be back? Nobody hears a word from her since middle school and then she shows up outta nowhere. Crazy, right?"

Arnold put his hand on his forehead and stared at the ground until Gerald broke his train of thought.

"Hey Arnold, you good?"

"Y-yeah… yeah I'm okay, we should probably get to class," Arnold shut his locker, fumbled with his backpack and then walked with Gerald to their first class.


	4. Chapter 4

"Come sit with me and we can all catch up!" Rhonda chimed at Helga.

"Uhm, okay. Cool." Helga obliged, the thought of sitting alone on her first day back didn't seem too appealing. She had a feeling this was the best offer she was going to get for now. So she grabbed her lunch and sat down across from Rhonda, Nadine, and Sheena. A few others joined them, like Peapod kid, Eugene and Harold.

"Where have you been, Helga?"

"Wow, you look so different!"

"What brings you back to Hillwood after so long?"

"You really grew up!"

Helga was bombarded by everyone to her annoyance. She kind of expected some sort of interrogation from her old schoolmates, so she answered them briefly and tried to hurriedly move on to other subjects. Eventually, this worked and the excitement around her dulled. Everyone's attention was shifted back onto Rhonda, much to Helga's relief. While half listening to Rhonda babble on to her friends, she scanned the room for any site of Phoebe or Arnold. Helga hoped if she saw Phoebe maybe she could get a chance to talk to her and set things right, unfortunately there was no sign of either.

"The other night Arnold did the cutest thing girls…." Rhonda went on.

"Wait, Arnold?" Helga stopped her, she felt her insides burst hearing someone else say his name.

"Ha yeah, isn't that funny? Who'd have thought him and I would start dating over the summer." Rhonda smirked. "It's so serendipitous how things work out sometimes. He sure is a fun guy."

"I bet," Helga said flatly. She wanted to sink into the floorboards, anything to try and escape Rhonda and the crowd. Arnold and _Rhonda?_ What twilight zone had she walked into today? As she was looking around to find her exit, she stopped. There he was and he was even more wonderful than Helga had remembered him. He was the same boy she pictured from her childhood, only now he was taller and more matured. Her palms began to sweat at the sight of Arnold and she watched helplessly as he turned and shot Rhonda a perfect smile while he began approaching their table.

 _Oh God, what do I do!_

"There he is! We were just talking about you, hun. Come sit." Rhonda scooted down the bench she was sitting on and motioned for Arnold to sit down. He began to sit, but as he glanced over the table he caught sight of a familiar face and froze.

 _Helga. It's really her._

He had no clue that she would be at his lunch table, but there she was right in front of him and she looked the same, yet different. He noticed she was more polished and filled out, her face was matured and really quite pretty. Arnold was now gaping and couldn't break his gaze with Helga. Their eyes were locked onto one another, both in awe, seeing the other after such a long time. He noticed how red her cheeks were getting and Arnold couldn't help but feel good that he still made an impression on her.

"Helga?"

"Arnold!" Helga gasped at the sound of her name coming out of his mouth, his husky post pubescent voice was like music to her ears.

Rhonda was now tugging at his arm, trying to pull him down next to her. Arnold shook his head and finally focused his attention onto his girlfriend.

"Look at him ladies, isn't he the cutest?" Rhonda squished his cheeks with her manicured hands. "I was just telling them how the other night-"

"Rhonda stop, please!" Arnold wrestled out of her grasp. "You know I hate it when you squish my face like that."

"Uhm, okay if you're going to be like that than forget it!" Rhonda pushed him away..

"Look, I'm sorry. It just hurts when you do that."

"Whatever, Arnold. Do whatever you want." Rhonda flipped her perfectly styled hair and faced away from her boyfriend.

"It's not a big deal, Rhonda. I said I was sorry-"

Rhonda hesitated for a bit, looked around and then her bottom lip trembled like she was about to cry. "You just cut me off, I was telling a cute story about _you_! And you're being so ungrateful!" She put her face in her hands for a moment and then looked up at him through narrowed eyes. "You think you can embarrass me in front of our friends? What kind of image of us are you trying to display, Arnold?"

"Could we maybe go somewhere else and talk about this?" Arnold awkwardly put his hand on her back and tried to usher her away from their table of friends.

"Fine!" Rhonda let him lead her out of the cafeteria.


	5. Chapter 5

Helga couldn't comprehend all that was going on, the rest of the table went about normally, unnerved by Rhonda's drama. Helga excused herself and went outside to catch a breath of air. While she was out there she pulled out a small gold heart shaped locket out of her pocket. The picture that once was inside had crumbled away, but she had replaced the picture with a dried daisy that had been given to her long ago. Helga squeezed the locket in her hand and let out a long sigh.

 _Phoebe hates me now and I can't even blame her. Arnold is dating the most air headed creature in this school and I get front row tickets to their twisted romance! Yeesh!_

"I don't know what I was thinking coming back here." She looked down at her most cherished possession. "Get a grip Helga, what did you think? Everything would go back to the way it was before?" Helga quietly laughed as a tear rolled down her cheek. The bell rang signaling that lunch was over and she walked back inside with her head hung low.

 _I can't wait for this day to be over. Maybe I should try to just move back in with Miriam._


	6. Chapter 6

Arnold ran his fingers through his unkempt cornchip colored hair and pinched his eyes shut. His girlfriend strutted away to her last class as he leaned up against his locker. He had been with Rhonda for a little over a month and was beginning to find her outbursts exhausting. But today was the first time he really questioned why he had got with her in the first place.

 _During summer she was so fun, and looked great at the beach… But was that it?_ Arnold thought. _Maybe I just can't think today, there is too much going on._

He heavily exhaled, closed his locker and headed to class. Feelings that he hadn't felt in years slowly creeping up on him.


	7. Chapter 7

After a rocky first day, Helga was determined to give it one more chance before she called it quits. It was the following morning and she stepped out of her house and headed to school on a mission to somehow make this a better day than the last.

When Helga arrived, she spotted Phoebe across the courtyard, sitting at a picnic table with Gerald.

"Well, this is as good as time as any I suppose…" Helga approached the picnic table that the couple was sitting at and weakly began to speak.

"Hey uh… rough start. Can I please talk to you Phoebe, I promise I can explain." Helga looked at her old best friend with eager eyes.

 _Please let me explain Pheebs, I can't express how much I've missed you._

Knowing she couldn't avoid her for forever, Phoebe looked back at Helga. Helga had always held a soft spot in Phoebe's heart. Phoebe finally let out a defeated huff and motioned towards the picnic bench.

"Okay, fine Helga. Sit-"

"Jee Pheebs! I'm so glad you're talking to me again!" Helga went over and squeezed Phoebe into a tight hug.

"Okay, okay Helga." Phoebe patted the blonde on her back in response.

"I'll let you two ladies talk it out. I'm gonna go catch up with the others." Gerald gestured towards the entrance to the school. "See you at lunch, babe." He kissed Phoebe on her cheek and strided for the door. Phoebe gave him a small smile and turned to Helga with a flat expression.

"Phoebe, I screwed up so bad." Helga exhaled, "Where should I even begin," she paused and looked down. After a moment she collected her self and continued, "when I moved away with my mom, I felt a part of me die inside. It really didn't matter that I was living at my grandparents house, I could have been in Antarctica. At that time, I didn't know the difference." Helga looked up into Phoebe's eyes, "I had no way of getting back to you, to Hillwood, to anything I had left behind! My mom didn't… Couldn't go near this city. I was beside myself and the thought of hearing your voice," _Or Arnold's,_ Helga thought to herself as her voice shook, "even being reminded of this place would have made me feel more isolated than I already thought I was."

"I don't understand how you could feel that way?" Phoebe raised her eyebrow.

"I know Pheebs, when I say it… It doesn't make much sense," Helga lowered her gaze she felt like there was a spotlight in her face, "But it was the best way I knew how to deal with the distance. By the time I realized how stupid I was being, I was too embarrassed to contact you or anyone else here for that matter. So time went on and on, while my fear to reach out grew deeper."

 _How could I let this happen? How could I go so long without my best friend?_ Helga thought as she looked desperately into Phoebe's eyes.

Phoebe could hear the heartache echo in her dear friend's voice and her face softened.

"I am so sorry, I was such an idiot!" Helga proclaimed and then lowered her voice to almost a whisper, "You were always on my mind and I was utterly lost without you, Phoebe… Believe me, absolutely lost."

"It's okay Helga," Phoebe placed her hand on Helga's shoulder, then thought for a moment about what to say next, "just please, don't ever do anything like that again. People here really do care about you if you didn't know and you just can't let your ego dictate your life anymore. We lost so much time together." Phoebe sighed.

"I know, Pheebs," Helga lowered her gaze sorely, "I'd give anything to get that time back."

"At least you're here now. Look, I didn't forget about you and I'll be here for you if you'll let me, I hope you can realize that."

Helga looked up, "thank you Phoebe, I won't forget that this time." Helga gave a small smile and the two friends shared a warm hug.

"You better not! If you disappear for another five years, it might not be so easy to win me back!" Phoebe pulled away and grinned, Helga let out a small laugh.

"I've missed you." Helga pulled her best friend in for another hug.


	8. Chapter 8

Within a couple weeks, Helga settled into a routine at her old school. She was thankful to have her best friend back and it felt like nothing had changed between the two of them. One day during lunch Helga and Phoebe sat away from Rhonda's table. Helga kept catching herself glancing over to watch Rhonda dangle Arnold in front of all of her friends. The way she would push back his hair, playfully poke at his ribs, hang on his arm or worst of all, when she would try to give him little eskimo kisses.

 _Is she for real!?_ It repulsed Helga, but more so than that, it dejected her.

"Do you see that?" Helga kept her narrowed eyes on Arnold and Rhonda.

"See what?" Phoebe looked up from her sandwich.

"The way Rhondaloid over there is throwing him around like that, like some sort of toy!" Helga scoffed. "I wonder what she'll do with him when he goes out of style? Probably throw him out like last year's Armani boots or something." She gritted her teeth.

 _Can Arnold not see how vapid she is? Is he really that dense!_

"What are you talking about?"

"Look." Helga glared and nodded towards Rhonda as she was playing with Arnold's hair and giggling.

"He doesn't seem to mind." Phoebe said nonchalantly as she took another bite of her food. She wasn't catching on to Helga's growing annoyance.

"I guess not!" Helga spat and got up.

"Wha-" Phoebe watched her friend shove in her chair and begin to stomp away.

"I gotta go finish something in bio class. See ya." Helga waved her off, leaving Phoebe to realize that maybe that wasn't what she had wanted to hear.


	9. Chapter 9

Weeks passed by as Helga watched Arnold and Rhonda's romance from afar. She glared daggers as Rhonda paraded around with him in the hallways, she'd scowl at the back of their heads when she sat behind them on the bus, she would double over with nausea at the sound of Rhonda's pet names for him and grimaced at any physical touch shared between the couple. The only silver lining Helga could try and grasp at in her observations was that Arnold seemed to be in a continual state of disinterest whenever he was around Rhonda.

 _Then why is that sucker with her?_ Helga thought as she groaned to herself and slammed her locker shut.

"Meet me right here after class, pooh bear." Rhonda landed a kiss onto Arnold's cheek and sashayed down the hall.

 _Please stop calling me that._ Arnold wiped his cheek where her lips had just been and scanned the inside of his locker. There was a couple baseball stickers, some poster from a concert him and Gerald had went to over summer and a picture of Rhonda that Rhonda had hung over those other things. Arnold stared at the photo and frowned. Something inside him made him want to rip it up and throw it away, but instead he just sighed and closed his locker. Ever since school began, he had slowly realized that he enjoyed being around Rhonda less and less. The fact that she tried to consume every waking moment of his freetime and the more he was around her, the more he realized how little they had in common. He tried to rationalize her over affection, controlling nature, superficial tendencies and selfish demeanor and look deeper, but he was having trouble finding something he really liked about her other than her looks.

 _Maybe things could change? I'll give it some more time._ Arnold thought as he slung his backpack over his shoulder. He looked up and saw Helga walking into a classroom, at the sudden sight of her, air got stuck in his throat and he choked. She glanced over at him and gave him a weird look then continued into her class. Even though it had been over a month since school started, he was still thrown off whenever he saw her. In the hallways, in the cafeteria, on the bus, anywhere really. Arnold remembered all the times he had wondered what happened to her, how hard it was to push those questions out of his head. Now all of a sudden she was right there in front of him almost everyday and he was realizing he thought of her more than he wanted to admit to himself. Arnold shook his head as he moved towards his next class, trying to think of something other than the old memories now loitering in his mind.


	10. Chapter 10

"I'm throwing a party and you two biatches better be there!" Rhonda handed a flyer to Phoebe and Helga as they walked into lunch.

"Sure, sounds fun Rhonda." Phoebe gave her a small smile.

"I'm busy that night," Helga said flatly without looking at the flyer and waved Rhonda off, "you have fun Pheebs, I bet it'll be just grand... knowing Rhonda and all." Helga said nonchalantly.

Phoebe gave Helga a look, a very obvious 'you owe me one aka one thousand, so you better go to this damn party' look. Helga returned with a pleading pout, though after a moment it was obvious Phoebe was going to stand her ground on this one.

"Sheesh! Okay Pheebs, I'll go! You happy?" Helga rolled her eyes and sulked.

"Yes." Phoebe happily nudged past her defeated friend in the lunch line, knowing she had won that round.


	11. Chapter 11

It was the night of the party and Helga stared at herself in the mirror, on her face she wore mascara and lipgloss, her blue eyes popping under her darkened eyelashes. Her hair was half pinned back, but her bangs fell wispily, framing her face. She wore a tight black sweater which showed off her new curves and a jean skirt she had bought with Phoebe at the mall the other day.

 _Is this too much?_ Helga studied her reflection. But before she could decide if she was going to change she heard a knock at her front door.

"I'll get it!" Helga rushed down the stairs, the last thing she wanted was Bob getting up and answering the door first.

"Hey Pheebs." She greeted the dark haired girl at the door. She noticed Gerald was also standing at the bottom of her stoop. "Hey Geraldo." Helga stepped off her stoop and nodded at him.

 _God, they are joined at the hip nowadays._

He nodded his head in return and put his arm around Phoebe; the three of them headed down the street towards the party.

 _I cannot wait to be the third wheel tonight!_ Helga rolled her eyes to herself.

By the time the trio reached Rhonda's house the party was in full swing. Music blared from inside and Eugene was slouched over the stoop of the building getting sick all over his shoes as Sheena rubbed his back.

"I'm okay," Eugene muttered as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"Gross," Helga scrunched her nose and stepped around them with Phoebe and Gerald into the luxurious townhouse.

Inside there were beer pong tables set up in the living room, Sid was being held up by Stinky as he did a keg stand in the corner while several kids rooted for him. Red cups and beer cans littered the whole area. She turned around and saw Phoebe and Gerald dart upstairs, Helga assumed to go makeout. As she turned back around, she saw Rhonda saunter out in a bright red strapless mini dress, sloppily sloshing her cup around.

 _Well she sure started early, yeesh!_

"Helga! You made it! Go grab yourself a drank, girlfraand!" She slurred and pointed towards the array of liquor bottles on the nearest counter.

"Cool, I'll check it out," Helga gave a sarcastic thumbs up. She watched Rhonda walk away into the living room and heard as she obnoxiously squealed when more guests turned up at the front door.

 _Crimeny! Why did I agree to come here…_ Helga furrowed her brow, grabbed a large bottle of cola that was on the counter and headed back towards the door.

As she pushed through the crowd of teenagers, someone ran into her and knocked the cola bottle out of her hand. She watched it fly and skid across the floor by the entrance.

"Nice going pal!" She shouted to nobody in particular.

Helga shoved through the remainder of the crowd and reached for the bottle, but before she could pick it up another hand went down and scooped the bottle up.

"Hey! That's my-" Helga looked up and locked eyes with a messy haired blonde boy. "-Arnold!"

"Here you go. I saw you drop that." He gave her an awkward smile, Arnold looked between her and the door, "are you leaving already?"

"Oh uh… um… I- I uh…" _Snap out of it Helga!_ "Maybe not everyone enjoys these hormone fests your girlfriend throws, football head!" She growled.

"Wow…" Arnold shook his head, "I haven't been called that in years," he let out a small laugh, seemingly unphased by Helga's sour demeanor, "She does throw these outrageous parties often, huh?"

"Looks like not much has changed, remember when she tried to throw that 'cool kids only' party?" Helga scoffed.

"Hah, yeah I'm still surprised Gerald didn't make the list."

"But you did... I guess you two were meant to be," Helga spat and looked down at her shoes. There was a pregnant pause before Arnold finally broke it.

"Uh… so how have you been, Helga?" He rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, "what was it like being abroad?"

"I would hardly call it that. Unless you want to count living in my grandparents basement with Miriam as a trip around the world, well then consider me Christopher Columbus!" Helga chuckled sarcastically.

"You were at your grandparents house?" Arnold's face dropped.

"Uh, yeah... It was pretty miserable." Helga nervously shuffled.

"I just, I didn't know where you'd went. I guess I always pictured you halfway across the world, not only a couple states away." Arnold disheartedly shrugged.

"That imagination of yours is wild Arnold," Helga paused, her natural scowl melting away, "that is something I always liked that about you." She grinned sheepishly up at him, their eyes met and he returned her smile.

"Arnold!" Someone from across the room yelled, "Dude! Get over here and do a keg stand with us!"

"I better go, Park won't let me live it down if I don't do at least one of those with him," he gestured to his friend, "it was nice talking to you, Helga." Arnold looked down and realized he was still holding her cola. He gently placed it in her hands and jogged towards the dark haired boy holding the keg hose.

"It was nice talking to you too, Arnold." Helga said under her breath and wistfully walked outside.

 _Football head…_

"Hey man, why do you have that dopey grin on your face?" Park asked as he handed Arnold the keg hose. "You pregame before the party or somethin'?" He laughed and patted Arnold on the back.

"Ha yeah, sure." Arnold put the keg hose in his mouth and motioned that he was ready.


	12. Chapter 12

Arnold stumbled through the corridor upstairs, the party raged on below him. He realized he had barely seen Rhonda all night and thought it was a good time to go look for her. The tipsy teenager felt his way towards her bedroom, and swung open the door. He stopped and stood slack jawed at what he had just came across.

Harold was laying on the bed while Rhonda sat on top straddling him in nothing but her bra, it was obvious that they had been fooling around. The pair looked back at Arnold wide-eyed.

"Are you serious, Rhonda?!" Arnold grimaced when what he saw finally sank into him. "Cool, you can have her Harold. We're done." He spat and turned, quickly making his way downstairs while behind him Rhonda shouted his name. He ignored her and shoved past the partiers. Arnold clambered out onto the front stoop. He didn't notice he had stormed right past Helga who was sitting alone.

"Arnold?" Helga called after him.

"Sorry, I gotta get out of here." He said without turning around and continued down the block.

 _What's gotten into him?_ Helga watched as he rushed down the street.

"Did you see Arnold leave?" Rhonda came out a moment later, her dress was lopsided and her hair was a mess.

"Uh, I think so?" Helga looked at her quizzically.

"Damnit!" Rhonda yelled and stomped her foot then walked inside and slammed the door behind her.

"Yeesh!" Helga got up and dusted herself off.

 _I'm over this place, this really isn't my scene anymore. I better go find Phoebe._

Helga went into the house and luckily didn't have to look too far because Phoebe and Gerald were in the midst of a beer pong game. She marched over to them.

"Helga!" Phoebe shouted happily, "I was wondering where you went!"

"I'm gonna hit the road, Pheebs," Helga gave her a small hug, "I'm all partied out. See you guys on Monday," She waved to Gerald who waved back.

"See you Monday, Helga!" Phoebe said merily as she continued her game.

Helga left for home as a uncontrollable curiosity grew inside her - what had just happened between Arnold and Rhonda?

Arnold didn't know how long he'd been walking but he knew he was close to his house. He felt disgust settle inside him and mesh with the fury already residing there.

 _How could she do that to me?_ He kicked at a rock and kept walking. As his adrenaline rush waned, Arnold felt something else; instead of being broken hearted he felt a sense of relief.

 _What was I doing with her anyway? She was awful…_ He sighed as he found his stoop, sitting down to catch his breath.

"Good riddance!" He mumbled to himself.

Eventually, Arnold went up to his room and crawled into bed, he laid there replaying all the events of tonight's party in his mind until sleep finally took him.


	13. Chapter 13

It was the Monday following Rhonda's party, Helga sat at her usual lunch table and quietly ate her sandwich. Phoebe was off doing who knows what with Gerald so she sat alone, but she enjoyed these solitary moments. It made her feel like she was watching the world and her peers from the outside looking in. Helga noticed something odd about Rhonda's table, Arnold was nowhere to be seen.

 _That's… Interesting._

She scanned the cafeteria and spotted him at an empty picnic table working on what appeared to be homework.

 _Yikes, if he stares any harder at that paper he might light it on fire!_ She thought as she examined him. He looked stressed with whatever he was doing as he laid down his pencil and buried his head in his hands.

 _Maybe he could use some help?_ Helga stood up, threw her trash away and walked over to where Arnold was sitting.

"Hey."

"Oh… Hi, Helga." Arnold ran a hand through his hair and picked his pencil back up.

"What are you working on?" Helga peered over his shoulder and noticed it was some sort of literary paper.

"An essay that is due in…" Arnold looked up at the large clock on the wall. "thirty minutes," he groaned.

"You sure are cutting it close there, Arnoldo. Let me see," She grabbed his paper from the table and read it over. "add a comma here, put this in quotations and maybe reword the conclusion, it sounds a little vague. Other than that, it looks okay." She handed back the paper.

"Gee, you made that look easy. Thanks Helga." Arnold gave her a feeble smile, but it was obvious something was wrong with him.

"You okay? You look like shit." Helga raised her eyebrow.

Arnold looked up at Helga and she could see how exhausted he was, her heart did a small leap as she glanced over his tired face.

"Yeah…" He looked down at his essay. "Just a rough weekend, I guess. I'm sure you've heard."

"Heard what?"

"You seriously haven't heard anything? Wow, knowing her and this place, I was sure the whole school would have known by now." Arnold said disdainfully and dropped his shoulders.

"What are you talking about?" Helga crossed her arms, she genuinely didn't know what he was talking about.

"Rhonda and me- we aren't dating anymore." He said matter of factly.

 _Say whaaat!?_ Helga tried not to smile, but inside she was lighting up.

"Oh… wait, is that why you were in such a rush to get out of that party?" Helga kept her composure.

"Yeah," he paused, "The thing is… I feel good about it overall and I think we were going to end it soon anyhow. It's just what happened has really messed with my head." Arnold lowered his eyes sorely.

"... What happened?" It pained her to see Arnold dispirited like this, but she couldn't help but feel a tinge of excitement at the news of him and Rhonda splitting up, "I mean uh, if you don't mind telling me…"

"I went to look for her and I found her upstairs... with Harold." He kept his downward gaze. Helga's eyes widened for a moment.

 _She cheated on him? … With HAROLD!? What the hell is wrong with this chick!_ Helga studied the boy in front of her. _Who could do something like that to him? Look at him! And look at friggin' Harold!_

"Oh… wow," she wasn't sure what to say but tried to muster something up, "I'm sorry that you had to see that…" she paused, "maybe it's for the best you know? Everything happens for a reason, right?"

"I guess so, Helga."

 _Why am I telling her all this stuff!? I don't talk to her in almost five years and then unload all my relationship problems on her! God, I'm a mess right now._ Arnold looked over at Helga, she seemed to be thinking something.

 _What is she thinking?_

After a silent moment, Arnold finally broke from his reflection and naturally laid his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, thanks for talking to me. I'm sorry, I probably told you more than what you wanted to know," Arnold exhaled and thought for a moment, "I suppose I just haven't really talked to anyone about this or well, about how I really felt about her in general…" he stopped and rubbed the back of his neck, "and thanks a lot for helping me with my essay."

"Oh uh yeah sure, no problem Arnold," Helga tinged pink at the touch of his hand, "and, uh if you ever need help with English or Literature, just let me know. It's the one subject I couldn't fail even if I tried." she let out a small nervous laugh as the bell rang.

 _Stop fumbling over your words dufus!_ Helga mentally slapped herself.

"I'll remember that," Arnold gave her a thankful smile and swept up his essay, "see you around."

Helga returned his smile and watched him head off towards the hallway. She looked around to see if anyone was paying attention then took out the small locket she carried with her. The warm metal felt soothing in her hand as she held it gently and grinned to herself.

 _Oh Arnold..._


	14. Chapter 14

"So did ya hear?" Helga overheard Stinky drawl to Sid. "Arnold and Rhonda are no more."

"Hmm, interesting. I wonder what happened!" Sid rubbed his chin.

"Well, I heard she wanted to date someone with a car." Another person chimed in.

"Sure sounds like something she would do." Sid replied.

"All I know is it seems they are not on speaking terms." Someone else spouted.

"Her and Harold seem closer than ever though," Stinky laughed, "These teen romances ya can never keep up with the darn things. It's like the soaps my pa watches."

"Will you all just shut it!" Helga finally stood up from where she had been seated and slammed her book closed, "How is anyone supposed to study in this freakin' study hall with you ninnies gossiping like that? Who cares!" She shouted as she threw her arms in the air.

"Jeez, what's gotten into her?" Sid said under his breath.

"Ergh!" Helga snatched up her textbook and stormed off.

For the last week all that anyone talked about around Hillwood High was Arnold and Rhonda's break up and Helga couldn't take it anymore. She was tired of the conspiracy theories and the false accusations, but what bothered her the most was that Rhonda was basking in all the extra attention.

 _How heartless can she be? First she cheats on Arnold, but then she uses that to gain more popularity? What a monster!_ Helga walked faster towards the front doors of the school, she needed to get out of that place before she did something stupid. That something stupid decided to greet her as she was making her exit.

"Helga!" Rhonda squealed, "Where are you off to in such a hurry? Me and the girls were just about to go and get frappuccinos, you wanna join?"

"Yes, sounds delish!" Helga mocked.

"Doesn't it? That's why we try to get them like everyday! Right girls?" Rhonda turned to her friends, the group nodded and shared a giggle.

"Actually I have an even better idea," Helga smiled. "Why don't you take that frappuccino and shove it right up your ass," she then got closer to Rhonda's face and narrowed her eyes, "how about that Rhonda?"

Helga shoved past her and Nadine as they stood there stunned.

"What's your deal?" Rhonda called after Helga.

"I don't hangout with skanks like you!" Helga shouted without turning around, the front door of the school shutting behind her before Rhonda could come up with a response.

The following day Arnold was approached by Rhonda at his locker.

"What have you been telling people?" Rhonda looked around and hissed under her breath.

"What are you talking about?" Arnold continued to pull notebooks out of his backpack, unphased by her presence.

"Uh, you know, the party?" Rhonda shifted uncomfortably.

"Oh you mean the one where you cheated on me with Harold?" Arnold still didn't look up at her, "at this point it doesn't really matter, so if you don't mind I gotta head to class." Arnold closed his locker and zipped up his backpack.

"What about my reputation?" She asked desperately.

"Ha! Are you serious Rhonda? That's your biggest concern?" Arnold rolled his eyes, "Of course it is. Maybe you should have thought about that before, either way... I honestly don't care. If anything, I'm happy all of this happened and I'm free of you, you can even thank Harold for me. Now I'm gonna go."

"But, I-"

"See ya." Arnold cut Rhonda off and turned the corner.

"Man, how pathetic." Gerald greeted his best friend when he rounded the corner.

"You could hear that?"

"Everything. Good for you though, there's plenty of other chicks willing to take her place." Gerald waved at a group of girls as they walked through the halls, the girls bashfully waved back, clearly eyeing Arnold and him.

"I don't know Gerald. Maybe I should take a break from dating for a while, it just seems to cause too many problems."

"The right one will come along when you least expect it and then you'll be singing a different tune," before Arnold could respond Gerald looked over and saw Phoebe talking with Helga at the end of the hallway, "How you doing, ladies?" He walked over to them and gave his girlfriend a peck on the cheek.

"Hey, babe," Phoebe smiled at his kiss, "Helga and I were just talking about how we all got lost in that corn maze back in sixth grade. Remember that?"

"How could I forget," Gerald winked at her.

"Gerald!" Phoebe softly slapped him on his chest.

Helga looked up at Arnold who was shaking his head and smiling, he caught her gaze.

"I remember that day," Arnold chuckled keeping eye contact with her, "Helga screamed so loud when she found a spider in her hair, that it made all the crows in the corn maze freak out and fly away."

"Oh brother, what an exaggeration! I didn't scream that loud." Helga crossed her arms.

"Yes you did, we even heard it from the opposite end of the field." Gerald began to laugh along with Arnold, "That place looked like a scene from _The Birds_!"

"Funniest part is, I don't think there was even a spider, it ended up just being a little leaf!" Arnold continued to laugh.

"It was a spider! A big one!" Helga cringed.

"Mhm, sure." Gerald nudged her.

Phoebe stood back, giggling.

"Oh, whatever." Helga rolled her eyes, but couldn't help to smile a little at the memory.

"That was a great day." Arnold looked off with a reminiscent grin.

"Yeah," Gerald's eyes darted at Phoebe and they both smiled, "we should all hang out like that again sometime, it'll be fun."

"I think that's a great idea!" Phoebe proclaimed.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Helga said as she shyly glanced at Arnold who was still looking off into the distance, she paused for a moment then sighed, "I'm going to be late, see you guys later."

"See ya!"

"Later."

When Helga was out of eyesight Gerald turned to Arnold.

"Like I said man, when you least expect it." Gerald whispered, his words brought Arnold back to reality, "Later," Gerald winked at him, put his arm around Phoebe and the pair walked down the hallway while Arnold stood there ciphering what his best friend meant.


	15. Chapter 15

It was the following Saturday afternoon and Helga's flip phone buzzed.

the boys were wondering what we are up 2, wanna head 2 mall? :D

 _The boys?_ Helga scrunched up her face in confusion, until she realized who Phoebe was referring to. _Gerald and… and Arnold?_ She felt her stomach do a backflip.

what time?

Helga texted back and nervously tapped her fingers waiting for a response. After what felt like forever - in reality it was roughly five minutes - Phoebe responded.

an hour ^^ c u at ur place!

 _Shit! Shit Shit!_ Helga threw her phone onto her bed and dived into her closet.

 _What am I going to wear?_ She popped her head out and looked at herself in the mirror, she was still in her pajamas and had her hair up in the same bun she had slept in the night before.

 _Crimeny!_

Helga scrambled around her room, turned on her straightener, put on mascara, and sifted through a pile of mostly clean clothes she had in the back of her closet.

"This will have to do." She looked at herself in the mirror about forty minutes later. She found a navy pullover and some light skinny jeans to wear, her hair was in a high straight pony with her bangs fixed to fall nicely on her forehead. She put on some white chucks and headed downstairs just in time to hear Phoebe knock on the door.

"Hi! You look nice Helga." Phoebe greeted her.

"Thanks, though a little more time would have helped." Helga gave her a side glance as they walked toward the bus stop.

"Sorry, Gerald asked kinda last minute."

"So what are we going to go do with him and the ole' football head?" Helga grinned secretly to herself.

"What?" Phoebe said puzzled. "Oh, no it's just Gerald, Sid and Stinky. I think Arnold went somewhere with his family this weekend."

"Oh," Helga tried to hide her disappointment, but with this new information she just wanted to turn around and go back inside.

 _Of course my stupid brain would go straight to Arnold,_ Helga huffed to herself.

"What's wrong, Helga?" Phoebe noticed her friend's frustration.

"Nothing, Pheebs. Let's hit the mall." Helga gave her a smile and thumbs up, frowning the moment she wasn't looking. The pair boarded a bus and headed to meet up with Gerald, Sid and Stinky.


	16. Chapter 16

When Helga and Phoebe arrived at the mall they went up to the food court and waited for everyone to show up. A few minutes later Gerald, Sid and Stinky also arrived and sat down the table they had been waiting at.

"Howdy!" Sid waved while Gerald gave Phoebe a hug and Sid ran over to order a milkshake from one of the restaurants.

"Hey," Helga said flatly as she half heartily waved back.

"Have ya heard? There's a new bowling alley downstairs, why don't we go there after this?" Stinky said excitedly.

"Sounds good," Gerald looked down at his phone, "I think Arnold might be able to make it here in the next half hour, is it cool if we wait for him here?"

Helga felt her heart speed up. _So he will be here after all!_

"Yeah, yeah. That's cool." Helga leaned back nonchalantly.

"Alright, I'm gonna grab some burritos," Gerald motioned at a Mexican restaurant kiddy corner to them, "Anyone want me to grab them something?"

"I'll go with ya and see what they have." Stinky got up happily and followed Gerald.

"I guess Arnold's coming after all, Helga." Phoebe smiled.

"Oh yeah," Helga tried to play it cool, "I suppose he is."

"Did I miss anything?" Sid sat down with his milkshake, which was already half gone.

"Not really," Helga responded.

"Oh, are they getting burritos?" Sid whipped his head around to see Gerald and Stinky, "I'll be back!" He got up and trotted over to the other boys.

"Could you tell Gerald to grab me one too, please!" Phoebe shouted after Sid and turned her attention to Helga, "sounds like bowling could be fun, and now we have an even amount of people, so we can have teams! Sid and Stinky, Gerald and me, you and… Arnold." Phoebe tried to hide her smile as she watched her best friend blush.

"Uh, sure Pheebs. Whatever floats your boat," Helga gulped.

"Hey, what are you two up too?" A familiar husky voice greeted the two girls.

"Oh, hi Arnold!" Phoebe beamed, "we were figuring out our bowling teams."

"Nice! Who's team am I on?" He sat down in the chair next to Helga and smiled.

"Helga's," Phoebe watched the two look at each other.

"If you're even half as competitive as you used to be, Helga; we're going to crush them!"

Helga was lost in Arnold's gaze.

 _Jeez how is he so perfect? With that wild hair, those lips which look so soft and those damn eyes. Oh crap, is he's talking to me!?_

"Helga?" Arnold arched his eyebrow.

"Y-yeah! They're in for a real bruisin'," Helga almost fell out of her seat.

"Good!" Arnold put his hand on her shoulder, looked back to Phoebe and narrowed his eyes, "that's what I thought."

"Haha, yeah, okay," Gerald came up from behind Phoebe, "We'll see if you two can live up to all that smack talk."

Phoebe laughed and nodded.


	17. Chapter 17

After everyone ate their food, the gang arrived at the bowling alley. They rented bowling shoes and found a lane to take.

"Alright let's get into our teams, who wants to go first?" Gerald said as he put down each person's name.

"We do!" Sid put his hand in the air.

"Whilakers Sid, I haven't even picked out my ball yet," Stinky protested.

"Dude hurry up, we got this," Sid gave the okay to Gerald.

"Cool, Arnold and Helga; you guys can go next and then Phoebe and I will go last."

Everyone picked out their bowling ball and headed to a bench with their teammate.

"So what's our strategy?" Arnold lowered his voice and rounded in on Helga.

"Um," Helga looked at her bowling ball, the lane and then at Arnold, "I don't know, I really don't know much about bowling!" she whispered.

"Hmm, okay. How about you go first and we will create a strategy from there."

"Sure? I mean, is there even strategy in bowling?" Helga asked quizzically.

"I'm sure there is?" Arnold rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't really know too much about bowling either," he smirked.

"Hey! You guys are up! Try and beat that!" Sid pointed at his score as he called over to Arnold and Helga.

"Oh get a grip! You knocked down eight pins, Sid!" Helga shook her head and walked towards the bowling lane confidently, she looked back at Arnold who gave her a quick wink. Helga's legs turned to jelly at his gesture, she tripped and dropped her ball onto the lane. Everyone watched as it rolled down and didn't hit a single pin.

The group erupted in laughter.

"Nice gutter ball! Ah ha ha!" Sid shouted.

"Yeah yeah, keep talking Sid and I'm going to reintroduce you to these!" Helga held up her fists.

"Well I hope you punch as good as you bowl! Ah ha ha ha! With that aim you'd probably end up hitting Stinky instead!" Him and Stinky howled with laughs.

All of the sudden Helga ran up on the two, they both fearfully ducked.

"That's what I thought," She scoffed and turned back around.

"Why'd you have to distract me like that!" Helga hissed at Arnold as she approached their bench.

"Like what?" Arnold asked genuinely confused.

"Ugh, I don't know! Just don't mess this one up," Helga stomped away.

Arnold positioned himself until he felt he was at the perfect angle and then tossed his ball onto the lane. It hit every pin.

"Yes!" Arnold turned around and smiled at Helga, she rolled her eyes and gave him a thumbs up.

It was now near the end of the game and each team had one turn left, Sid and Stinky were leading, Phoebe and Gerald were second and Arnold and Helga were in last place.

"Okay it's our turn, you got this Helga!" Arnold handed her the bowling ball she had been using, their fingers brushing as he passed it to her. Helga looked up at him and his eyes twinkled down at her.

 _How am I supposed to focus when you look at me like that!_ Helga thought to herself. She begrudgingly approached the lane and got into position. She was doing awful at bowling. With every turn before this one she had missed almost every single pin. At this point she felt a bit discouraged, considering she was usually pretty talented in the athletic department.

 _I give up on this idiotic sport!_

Helga pinched her eyes shut and recklessly tossed her bowling ball. She kept her eyes closed until she heard a satisfying crash.

"You got a strike Helga! Wooo!" Arnold cheered and rushed up to the where she was standing.

She slowly peaked out of one eye to see if it was true, and to her delight she had knocked down all the pins! When Arnold came up to her, she was so excited that she pulled him into a tight hug.

"I did it!" Helga exclaimed happily as she wrapped her arms around Arnold.

"Okay you got one strike, great job. Arnold, it's your turn." Sid rolled his eyes.

Sid's voice snapped Helga out of her enlivened state. When this happened, she realized that she was still squeezing Arnold and quickly broke apart from him.

Arnold was a bit stupefied himself by Helga's embrace. He looked down at her as she held onto him, he began to feel his heartbeat grow faster. Before he could react, she pushed away from him.

"Okay," Arnold responded to Sid. He picked up his ball and tried to stand in the best position for a strike, so far he had been having a lot better luck at bowling than Helga was before this turn. Arnold tossed his ball and he watched as it went straight into the gutter.

"What?" Arnold turned around a bit stunned at his gutter ball.

"Don't worry man, you guys were going to lose anyhow," Gerald laughed as he walked up to take his turn.

"Yeah, yeah hair boy! Enough talking, just bowl." Helga smirked and dismissed him.

In the end Stinky and Sid won the game.


	18. Chapter 18

As the weeks went on, Helga, Phoebe, Gerald and Arnold began to spend a lot of time together much to Helga's secret delight.

"We're meeting them at the ice skating rink," Phoebe shivered. It was the beginning of December and snowing lightly as Helga and Phoebe walked to the bus stop.

"It is freezing out here!" Arnold rubbed his arms, "Where are they?"

"Yeah, I don't know how long I really want to be out here man, maybe we could all catch a movie or something instead?" Gerald could see his breath form in the cold air while he talked.

"We're already here, might as well make the best of it," Arnold looked around at the sprinkling of snow.

"True, and Phoebe's been hounding me to take her to the ice rink since like August."

"I have not!" Phoebe squeaked behind Gerald.

"Oh hey babe!" Gerald pulled her into a hug, "You know me, just jokin' around."

"Mhm, okay," Phoebe was not impressed.

"Alright let's grab our skates," Arnold ushered everyone to the ice skate rental booth.

"Oh crap, I forgot my wallet!" Helga groaned as she reached into her pocket.

"Don't worry, I'll get it." Arnold responded.

Helga looked up at him a bit surprised.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, of course." Arnold smiled and handed some extra cash to the cashier.

Phoebe slyly nudged Gerald and pointed to their interaction.

"Thanks." Helga grinned bashfully.

"If you want you can pay me back with some help in English maybe?" Arnold handed her the skates, "it's just I'm worried that I'm going to drop below a C in that class if I keep going the way I am. I know how good you are with writing, so I thought I could ask you for some tutoring?" Arnold nervously shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling a bit bold asking for a favor from Helga like that.

"Y-yeah I can help you out, no problem." Helga's cheeks grew warm at his request.

"This dude couldn't write a poem to save his life!" Gerald laughed, "You think he'd be better at that kinda stuff considering his head's always in the clouds."

"Ha ha. Jee, thanks Gerald." Arnold said smugly as he playfully pushed his best friend.

"Come on, let's go skate!" Phoebe tugged at her Gerald's arm.

The four hit the skating rink. Gerald and Phoebe held hands, skating gracefully beside each other. On the other hand, Helga could barely make it out onto the rink without falling.

"Here, let me help you." Arnold offered his hand to Helga.

"I got it, I got it!" She pushed his hand away and attempted to stand up, her knees wobbled for a moment and the next thing she knew she was back on the ground, "sheesh! Okay, fine. Give me your hand."

Arnold pulled her up and she wobbled some more, he gripped her hand tighter and wrapped his other around her waist until she finally found a bit of balance.

Helga internally swooned.

 _How can he possibly still have this effect on me after so long?_

"Here like this," Arnold slowly glided with Helga in tow.

"I know how to ice skate, football head!" Helga snapped out of her daydream and dismissed him, "It's just been a while," she said under her breath.

The pair began to gain some traction and skate.

"You're doing good Helga, I'm going to try and let go of you now. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got this." Helga released his hand and gained a bit of speed.

 _Wow this is great!_ She started to go even faster, skating past Arnold.

 _Ah, I knew I was good at this, just a little rusty that's all. Maybe I'll teach him a thing or two, thinking I couldn't ice skate, ha!_

"Be careful, you're going a little fast!" Arnold called after her.

"I'm fine!" Helga looked back at him, "I know how to-"

"Helga!"

BAM!

Helga saw stars as she crashed into the side of the rink. Arnold rushed over to her, when Phoebe and Gerald saw what happened they hurried over as well.

"Helga, are you okay?!" Arnold kneeled down and propped her up.

"My ankle!" Helga writhed, there was a deep, sharp pain radiating from her ankle. It looked like it was bent in an odd direction, "I can't move it!" she panicked.

"Let me see," Phoebe went to pull Helga's sock down to get a better look, she barely grazed it and Helga yelped loudly.

"It doesn't look good," Phoebe frowned.

"Should we call an ambulance?" Gerald uneasily looked down at Helga.

"Just get me off this ice!" Helga moaned.

Arnold and Gerald took each side of her and lifted her up, walking her over to a bench.

"It's turning purple," Arnold looked down at Helga's ankle, "we need to get you to a doctor, Helga."

"I'm calling 911," Phoebe pulled out her cell phone and began to dial.

After about twenty minutes two EMT's pulled up with a gurney.

"Who's the one that's injured?" One of them asked yawningly.

Helga raised her hand wearily.

"Is anybody riding with her, we only got room for one."

"I'll go," Arnold got up, he felt responsible for what had happened and thought going with Helga would be the right thing to do.

"Okay. Let's get the little lady on the gurney, Morty," The other EMT nodded, gently picking Helga up and placing her on the gurney. She howled in pain.

"We'll meet you there, okay Helga?" Phoebe nervously watched as they wheeled her away.

Helga couldn't respond she was now consumed by the agony pulsing from her ankle.

The two EMT's got her into the back of the ambulance, Arnold climbed up behind them and the sirens flashed as they sped down the street towards the hospital.

"I'm so sorry, Helga," Arnold now sat warily at her side in the hospital room, "I would of never let go of you if I knew this would of happ-"

"I'm gonna need you to move kid, we're giving her something for the pain," a nurse ushered Arnold into the corner of the room, "this is gonna make you feel a lot better sweetheart," the nurse injected some medicine into Helga's IV and patted her on her arm.

They had just wheeled her back from X-rays and confirmed she had a fracture in her talus. Helga was sweating from the pain and was relieved when they finally gave her something for it. She felt the medicine in her IV gush through her and as she began to feel a bit drowsy and quite loopy. The nurse left the room and it was just the two teens again.

"What were you saying, football head?" Helga gave him an intoxicated smile and melted into her pillow.

"Just that I'm sorry," Arnold sighed, "I'll do whatever I can to make it up to you."

"You're so sweet," Helga woozily grabbed onto Arnold's hand as he came closer, "I love you."

"Huh?" Arnold jolted back, before he could respond there was a quick knock on the door and then Gerald and Phoebe walked in.

"Gerald! You big story teller! I love you too," Helga then happily pointed at Phoebe, "and I love you, my best friend! Where's that nurse? I reeeally love her."

"They got her on the good stuff, huh?" Gerald smirked.

"Heh, yeah I suppose so." Arnold awkwardly shifted, "I'll, uh, go call her dad again, see how far he is."

"Don't worry, we'll keep an eye on her," Phoebe giggled and then sat down in the chair by Helga's bed.

Helga started to snored loudly.


	19. Chapter 19

"Alright girly, let's get you up the stairs." Big Bob had his daughter's arm over his shoulder as she used him as a crutch to climb up to her bedroom.

"Who picked out this stupid pink cast?" Helga huffed as they reached the top.

"I think that friend of yours with the odd shaped head, somethin' about it being your favorite color."

"Well it's not," Helga derided as she fell onto her pink bed.

Bob looked around her room and scratched his head with a shrug.

"Do you need anything before I leave for work?" Helga's dad tucked her in.

"Some snacks and a T.V. would be nice."

"I think I can bring in the one from my room." Bob walked out and moments later Helga could here him grunting as he tried to carry the T.V. down the hall.

"Don't kill yourself, dad! I can just read a book or something instead!"

Bob made it in with the T.V., sweat dripping off his brow.

"Anything else?" He wiped his forehead and breathed.

"... snacks?" Helga innocently looked up at him.

"Oh, alright give me a minute," Bob left and came back with some pork rinds, soda and tapioca pudding.

"My favorite!" Helga proclaimed as he sat the goodies down in front of her.

"Yeah, well I hoped it might cheer you up."

"Thanks dad," Helga gave him a genuine smile and opened up the bag of pork rinds.

"Okay, I'm heading out now. Call me if you need anything," Bob waved and left Helga to her t.v. and snacks.

"This ain't half bad," Helga grinned to herself as she flipped on her favorite wrestling show and cracked open a cold soda.

After watching T.V. for what felt like years, Helga sat up and clicked it off.

"Ughhh. Okay, now what?" She looked around her room and noticed her journal, "hmmm… Nah," She frowned and checked her phone. There was a missed call from Phoebe.

"Hello?" Phoebe answered when Helga called her back.

"Hey Pheebs, you called?"

"Oh yeah, Arnold wanted me to ask you if he could drop your homework off today after school since you've missed your classes today. I said I could do it, but he insisted."

 _Oh Arnold, that do gooder, sweet souled boy._ Helga's thoughts trailed off.

"Hello?" Phoebe said on the other end of the phone, "Helga, are you still there?"

"Huh? What?" Snapped Helga, "yeah sure, he owes me anyhow."

"Uh huh… Well I'll let him know, he'll probably be there soon because the last bell just rung."

"Okay talk to you later Pheebs."

"Bye!"

Helga got off the phone and looked around, there were pork rind crumbs all over her bed, clothes on the floor and empty tapioca pudding cups scattered on her bedside table.

"Yikes, it looks like this place got hit by a tornado!" Helga cringed. She limped off of her bed, "Ouch, how am I gonna clean anything in the state I'm in?"

Helga spotted her wastebasket, grabbed it and swooped all of the tapioca containers into it, then she shook off her blanket, threw her clothes into a pile and crammed everything - wastebasket included - into her closet and slammed the door shut.

"Phew," Helga wiped her brow and huffed, "that should do it."

The doorbell rang a moment later.

"Jeez how the heck did he get here so fast?" Helga flipped her hair and checked her breath, "IT'S OPEN!" She bellowed, hoping he could hear her.

"Helga?" A voice came from downstairs.

"I'm up here!" Helga shouted. She heard some footsteps and then a knock on her bedroom door, "come in!"

"Hey Helga," Arnold peeked his head in and gave her a feeble smile, "How are you doing?"

"I'm hangin' in there," Helga feigned a weak tone as she let out a small yelp in attempt to move her leg, "ah, it just hurts so much."

"Oh no, don't try to move. What do you need? I can grab it for you." Arnold quickly dove to her side.

 _My love is here in my room catering to my needs! This is amazing! What should I have him do?_

"Maybe some pudding?" Helga fraily pointed her finger at her bed stand where one tapioca pudding remained.

"Let me get that for you-" Arnold grabbed for the pudding cup, but in the process ended up knocking over Helga's journal. The journal fell off the stand and opened up to one of the pages. Helga didn't notice this because she was busy playing up her injury, so Arnold picked up the journal along with the pudding and couldn't help but read a little of what was on the page.

"Wow Helga, I didn't know you liked football so much. This is really um... heartfelt?" Arnold's eyebrows arched as he read some of the more sensual sentences in front of him.

"What are you talking about?" Helga turned and gasped, "Give me that!" She snatched for the journal, "who gave you permission to go through my things, bucko!?" She roared.

"I- I, it fell open. I'm sorry." Arnold jumped back at her new severe demeanor.

"What did you want, anyhow?" Helga glared at him, also grabbing for her pudding cup.

"I thought I could bring you your homework from today and maybe see how you're doing." Arnold said quietly.

"Fine, but if I catch you snooping through my things again, you're outta here, capisce?"

"Okay, it won't happen again," Arnold reached into his backpack, "here's your math quiz and a print out for your lab on Friday."

"Ugh, I hate math," Helga looked over the quiz.

"I could maybe help you with that? I don't mind math." Arnold said meekly.

"If you want to take a stab at it, be my guest." Helga shoved the quiz back into Arnold's hands.

"I'd show _you_ how to do it." Arnold looked down at the paper.

Helga let out a loud groan.

"Okay, fine," She pulled back the quiz, "What's this little thing here mean?"

"That is the…" Arnold began to break down equations for her.

After about an hour Helga had finished her quiz and felt a bit more confident in her mathematical knowledge, though she still despised the subject.

"Welp, looks like I might just pass this class after all, thanks Arnoldo!" Helga threw the paper onto her bed stand, "you needed help with some schoolwork too, didn't you?"

"Oh yeah, English," Arnold frowned, "we don't have to do that now, you probably need to get some rest." He began to slowly pack his things.

"Not so fast," Helga grabbed his backpack from him and fished for his English book, "I'm hoping this'll help me get my mind off of all those damn numbers. Let's begin, shall we?"

Arnold groaned and then reluctantly took the book from her. She couldn't help but smirk.

"You've always been so good at writing and stuff. Why do you like it so much, Helga?" Arnold scanned his book.

"I suppose, writing is an easy escape for me." Helga responded.

"What do you mean?" He stopped scanning and looked up at her.

"Well… it's sort of like creating your own reality and when you write it down, you can go back and relive that thought or memory later, ya know?" Helga tilted her head back and looked out her window, briefly smiling to herself as she thought of some the poetry she had written over the years.

 _He doesn't know the half of it._

Arnold stared at her and felt his heart buzz.

"Yeah," He kept his eyes on her, something about the way she looked at this moment, as she drifted off into her own thoughts, seemingly forgetting the world around her; soothed Arnold. It reminded him of when they were kids and he'd spot her under a tree or alone on the swings, the same expression resting on her face, "You know, Hillwood just hasn't been the same without you, Helga."

Helga snapped back into reality, her mind whirled around Arnold's words. She looked over at him and her stomach fluttered when she saw he was already looking at her. She hastily composed herself. "You getting soft on me, football head?" Helga playfully punched his shoulder, "where is this coming from anyhow?"

"I don't know…" Arnold broke his gaze from hers and his face tinged pink.

 _How do I tell her that she turned my life upside down when she moved away? Why is this all coming up now?_

He continued.

"You left so abruptly. One day you were here and everyone was together, everything was great," He exhaled, "and then out of nowhere, you were just gone," Arnold lowered the book he was holding, "honestly Helga, it really sucked the way you left without saying anything," Arnold furrowed his brow remembering all the emotions he went through when she left, "you put everyone here through a lot because of the way you left and after so long, the chance of seeing you again seemed impossible. We didn't know what to do," he paused for a moment and then softened his tone, "but now that you're here, it feels like you never left and I want to be mad at you, but really," Arnold let out a defeated sigh, "I'm just enjoying having you back more than anything else."

Helga was quiet. She felt so guilty. _I need to say something! I can't let Arnold think I just abandoned him._

"Arnold I, I-" Helga struggled and then hung her head, "I'm so sorry. I realized I didn't do the right thing by cutting everyone out of my life, it's just… I thought I'd never be back and that was so hard for me to imagine. If I tried to contact you or anyone here, it would have made the distance a bigger reality to me and I… I never-" Helga stopped, she could feel herself choke up as all the emotions from the moments leading up to her move came flooding back. "I thought that I'd never see any of you again," she turned away and wiped the tears welling up in her eyes. "... and you… how could I say goodbye to you, Arnold?" Helga's voice cracked, "moving away was the most miserable thing I have ever went through and I tried everything I could to mentally escape my new life after Hillwood," she was silent for a moment, "there are things I did that I still regret to this day." Tears now fell freely down Helga's cheeks. Arnold sat down next to Helga on her bed and put his hand gently on her back.

"It's okay, Helga," Arnold looked down at her and smiled warmly. "You're back now, and we're here for you…" He softly wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks, "I'm here for you."

Helga looked up into the eyes of the boy she loved so dearly.

 _If only he knew how many times I wrote to him, how many times I wanted to talk to him but couldn't bring myself to do it. The small chance I held onto in hopes that I would see your face again is what made me persevere._

Arnold's hand still rested on Helga's back, their faces slowly grew closer. So close he could smell her shampoo and feel her breathing softly. She leaned in taking in all his features and could almost feel their noses touch.

"Okay, enough with this mushy mumbo jumbo, your last essay needs some work!" Helga turned her head abruptly and snatched up the essay hanging out of his book, beginning to diligently mark it with red pen. Her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest.

 _Why did you do that?! How could you ruin that moment, you dummy!_

"Whatever you say, Helga." Arnold gave her a half lidded look, grinned and picked up a nearby notepad.

When he looked away she patted her face where Arnold's hand just was, swooning to herself.


	20. Chapter 20

Christmas Eve was now two days away and it was the last day of school until the new year. Helga used crutches to get around to her classes and her dad made sure to drop her off and pick her up every day until she could take her cast off. Helga was enjoying the extra care that Bob was giving her.

"See ya later, dad!" Helga lifted herself out of the car as Phoebe approached and took her backpack.

"Don't be so late when I come to get you this time, I have a meeting at 4pm today that I can't miss, I mean it missy!" Bob called after her.

"Alright, sheesh," Helga closed the car door as he sped off, "Morning Pheebs, you got my bagel?"

"Yes, and a black coffee with two creams and no sugar," Phoebe showed Helga what she was carrying.

"You're the best," Helga limped into the school and sat down at the nearest table, "this should do, let's eat here real quick before class."

Phoebe pulled their coffees out of the cup holder she had been carrying and opened the bagel bag. Helga grabbed for her food and the pair began to eat.

"By the way, I got you a little something," Helga stopped and grinned, "Open up my backpack."

"Oh you didn't have to get me anything," Phoebe unzipped the pack, lifted up a gift box and started to open it. Inside the box was a ton of envelopes with 'Pheebs' on them, "what is this, Helga?"

"It's all the letters I wrote to you after I moved away. There's something at the bottom."

Phoebe pulled out a frame from the bottom of the box, it was a picture of the two of them from second grade.

"Oh Helga, this is so thoughtful." Phoebe smiled pensively as she looked down at the photo of her and her best friend. After a moment she pulled Helga into a big hug.

"Merry Christmas, Phoebe." Helga hugged back.

"So I applied to Hillwood Market a couple days ago and I got an interview! Thanks to your boyfriend putting in a good word." Helga unwrapped her school made ham sandwich.

"That's great, Helga," Phoebe smiled from across the cafeteria table, "Let me know how that goes."

"Of course."

"Hey Helga," Arnold approached her and Phoebe as they ate their lunch, "I have a B in my lit class thanks to you!"

"Damn you guys actually be studying together?" Gerald shook his head and laughed from behind Arnold, "I always thought you two were up to something else."

Arnold and Helga became flushed.

"Anyway, I wanted to see if you were free to come over tonight for dinner? Gerald and Phoebe will be there too. We're having an early Christmas thing at the boarding house before my parents and I fly down to San Lorenzo to volunteer at an orphanage for a few days," Arnold shoved his hands in his pockets, "I mean, if you don't have anything else going on tonight?"

 _Dinner with Arnold's family! He just invited ME to dinner! Yes! Yes! A million times yes!_

"Sure, I think I could swing it." Helga leaned back cheekily.

"Great!" Arnold sheepishly ran his hand through his hair, "I should get going, see you guys tonight." He waved.

Helga and Phoebe waved back.

"You need a ride there Helga?" Gerald asked as he stood there, waiting to walk with them to class.

"Yeah that'd be great, considering…" Helga motioned to her leg.

"Cool, Phoebe and I will be there at six o'clock."


	21. Chapter 21

Gerald, Phoebe and Helga pulled up to the boarding house and Phoebe helped Helga out of the car. Arnold was already waiting for them on his stoop and merily hopped down to greet the trio.

"Hey guys!" He smiled, "Oh, let me get that for you Helga." He ran back up his stoop and opened the door.

Inside there were sounds of clattering and laughter coming from the kitchen, from what Helga could tell it was the voices of Arnold's parents.

"Well Howdy doody!" A sharp female voice echoed from the top of the stairs, "What a turn out we have for the Halloween party!" Arnold's grandma sashayed down in a flapper girl outfit.

"Grandma, it's Christmas," Arnold replied.

"Look who it is," His grandma ignored his comment and moved in towards Helga, "our dear first lady, my you look exquisite Eleanor."

"Pookie! Leave the kids alone!" Arnold's grandpa shouted as he made his way down the stairs after her, "come on, let's get you a good seat at the table." He put his hand on his wife's back, guiding her towards the dining room as he looked over his shoulder and gave the group of teens a wink.

"Man, I love your grandparents," Gerald smiled, took Phoebe's hand and began to follow the elderly couple into the dining room.

Helga started to limp along behind them.

"Wait," Arnold put his hand on her shoulder, "My parents wanted to say hi to you."

"They remember me?" Helga looked at him quizzically.

"Of course they do! You were there when we saved them in San Lorenzo and you were here almost every other day in middle school, how could they forget you?" Arnold grinned, "come on." He motioned for Helga to follow him into the kitchen.

The pair made it to the kitchen and walked in to see Arnold's mom, Stella holding mistletoe over her husband, Miles as they giggled and kissed on each other against the pantry.

"Mom! Dad! What the-" Arnold shielded his eyes.

Helga put her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh.

"Oh, sorry son we didn't see you over there." Miles smirked, unwrapped his arms from his wife and grabbed for his mixing bowl.

"Wow look at you!" Stella came over and swooped Helga into a warm hug, "you're so grown up, look at her, Miles! What a pretty young woman you've become." Stella let go and beamed at Helga. Her warmth was contagious and Helga felt herself glow in Stella's presence.

"How's that leg of yours?" Miles pointed his mixing spoon at her cast.

"It's okay, the doctor says I'll be able to take the cast off next month." Helga answered timidly, she forgot how thoughtful Arnold's parents were and wasn't used to all this attention.

"I heard you've been helping Arnold with his English homework. Sounds to me like it's been working too," Miles grinned.

"He's been helping me with math, so it's nothing really," Helga humbly shrugged.

"I'm so glad you two have reconnected, Arnold's like a whole different person since you came back to Hillwood," Stella announced joyfully.

Arnold facepalmed.

"Uhm, we're gonna go grab a seat now, let me know if either of you need a hand." Arnold began to lead Helga out of the kitchen.

"Oh don't worry, your mom and I have this under control." Miles winked at Stella who blushed and shook her head.

"Yes, you two go get a seat, we'll be out soon." Stella smiled.

Arnold and Helga made it to the dining room and sat down across from Gerald and Phoebe who seemed to be in their own world. Most of the boarders that Helga remembered were sitting around the table chatting amongst themselves, like Mr. Huynh, Mr. Potts and the Kokoshka's to name a few.

"That is creepy, very creepy Ernie!" Mr. Huynh was looking at a photo that Mr. Potts was holding in front of his face.

"Whaddya talkin' about? I think she has a pretty face," looked down and examined his photo, "Oh hey Arnold, look at this lady I met online. We've been talkin' on that AIM chat thing and I think she just may be the one." He smiled hopefully as he held up his photo displaying a very unattractive woman.

"Ernie put that damn thing away, we're about to eat!" Grandpa shooed him.

"That's right, listen to grandpa. I can't afford to lose my appetite, heheheh." Oskar Kokoshka looked around and grinned.

"You can't afford anything Oskar!" Mr. Potts rolled his eyes and stuffed his photo into his shirt pocket.

The boarders broke out in a bickering match.

"Alright, who's ready for our famous Christmas turkey?" The arguing was interrupted when Stella walked into the dining room with a large glistening turkey. Miles followed after her with a few other dishes in hand.

"It used to be ham, but Abner's sensitive." Arnold whispered to Helga.

"Makes sense." Helga looked over at the senile pig sleeping in the corner.

The boarders stopped and awed at the turkey, happily digging in almost before it could make it to the table.

"The food was delicious Mr. and Mrs. Shortman." Phoebe politely smiled as dessert was now coming to an end.

"It was, thank you," Gerald rubbed his stomach, "I need to get my dad's car home before he flips though," he got up from his chair and Phoebe followed, "Are you ready, Helga?"

Helga looked down at the cake she was about to dig into and frowned.

"Ten more minutes?" Helga bargained.

"I'm sorry, my dad threatened to take away all video games until February if I was even a minute late and that new fighting game just came out!" Gerald shrugged, "you know how it is."

"I could take you home a little later in the Packard if you want?" Arnold promptly offered.

"That works," Helga took a bite of her cake.

"Well, you all have a good night and Merry Christmas!" Gerald gave Arnold their handshake and waved at everyone else.

"Yes, Merry Christmas, have a safe trip!" Phoebe joined in.

"Thank you, Merry Christmas you two!" Miles said gleefully, "aren't they the cutest?"

"They are," Stella smiled as she picked up their plates and took them into the kitchen.

Helga finished up her dessert and caught up with Arnold's family. They received her like she was one of their own. The love they showed for each other and for her, even after such a long time filled up her heart. By the end of the night she felt like she was another family member and she cherished these moments, because for her it was rare to feel so accepted and treasured. Helga could easily see where Arnold got his selflessness and serving nature.

"Okay shortman, you drive very carefully, you hear?" Grandpa cautiously handed his keys to his grandson.

"And text us when you get Helga home safely." Miles interjected.

"I will, don't worry."

"Good. Merry Christmas Helga! Don't be a stranger." Stella winked.

"Hats off to you !" Grandma soluted Helga.

"Oh Pookie, let's hit the hay." Grandpa put his arm around his wife's shoulders and waved at Helga before turning around to go upstairs.

"Merry Christmas." Helga smiled and waved to Arnold's family as her and Arnold headed out the door.

"You're living the life, football head." Helga sighed once they got outside.

"You think so?" Arnold opened her car door and took her crutches.

"You're family is amazing, I hope you know that."

"Yeah, they are pretty great." Arnold grinned and shut the door, making his way to the drivers side,"they really like you, if you couldn't already tell." He said as he started up the car.

This made Helga beam. Arnold snuck a peak at her as she lit up.

 _Wow look at her. I wish I could always make her smile like that._

They drove in silence towards Helga's home. Arnold was finding it difficult to express what was lingering on his mind all night. They pulled up to the front of her townhome and he stopped the car.

"Well, looks like this is my stop," Helga began to open her door, "Thanks for the ride-"

"Wait!" Arnold blurted out, startling Helga, "I um, wanted to say that I," he nervously fumbled around, "I'm glad you could make it tonight, Helga."

"Me too." Helga smiled heartily.

"And I wanted to give you this," Arnold reached into his pocket, "but before I do, I really have to tell you-"

"Hey! What are you two kids doing in there!" A man roared from outside the car.

"Oh God, it's my dad." Helga pinched her eyes.

"What in the hell are you doing in a fogged up car with some boy?!"

"We weren't doing anything, Bob." Helga opened the car door.

"You need to march that tuchus inside little lady!" Bob grabbed Helga's crutches from the car and shoved them into her hands.

"And you!" Bob waved his finger at Arnold from outside, "you better keep your hands to yourself!"

"Don't listen to him, sorry about this," Helga began to lift herself out of the car, "Merry Christmas, Arnold."

Bob slammed the car door shut and escorted his daughter up the stoop into their home. Arnold looked down at what he was about to give Helga and sighed. It was an old pink bow.

"Merry Christmas, Helga." He said quietly to himself.


	22. Chapter 22

"What's wrong, Helga?" Phoebe was visiting with Helga as they watched their favorite comedy show, but she kept noticing her best friend looking out the window more often than watching the comedian on the screen.

Helga sighed, it had been over a week since Christmas and she could not shake the feeling that something happened when Arnold dropped her off that night. It felt as though something had shifted between the two of them and she wondered if he felt it too because it seemed he was acting differently around her.

 _Maybe it's all in my head._

She played that night over and over in her mind until it felt like her brain was going to melt.

"Pheebs, if I tell you something it has to stay between you and me."

"Of course, Helga." Phoebe nodded.

"I mean it, no telling Gerald! Especially Gerald…" Helga frowned.

"Yes, of course."

"I still really l-" Helga cleared her throat nervously, "like Arnold." Helga mumbled under her breath.

"What? Why are you mumbling?"

"I like Arnold!" Helga loudly blurted.

Phoebe giggled.

"And-?"

"Well… 'And' I don't know what to do Phoebe!" Helga shifted uncomfortably, "things are different around him," she stopped and and slumped down, "now it seems he's acting weird, and I keep thinking of if I did something, Pheebs." Helga hid her face in her hands.

"It's okay, Helga." Phoebe got up and sat by her friend. "I'm sure you didn't mess anything up, maybe he feels shy around you? That is what it sounds like to me, at least." She patted Helga on the back.

"You think he feels shy around _me_?"

"He could."

"Why would he?"

"I've seen how he is around you, the way he looks at you and I think there's something there." Phoebe smiled.

"I dunno, Phoebe… I don't know why or how he could feel anything for me. Especially after I stupidly ghosted him for five years."

"I'm pretty sure he's already forgiven you for that, probably sooner than he wanted too," Phoebe assured her, "by the way, have you heard back about that position at the supermarket where Gerald's mom works? I heard she was very impressed by your interview."

"Oh yeah! I completely forgot to tell you, I got the position," Helga gave a fake grin and pointed at herself, "as soon as I get this cast off you're looking at the best bagger on this side of Hillwood."

"That's great news! I knew you would get the job. Gerald said it's really laid back too, so it shouldn't be too bad."

True… At least it's my own money, no more asking Big Bob for an allowance, thank God!" Helga threw her fist in the air excitedly.

"Exactly." Phoebe nodded happily.


	23. Chapter 23

"I think I'm gonna ask her out, Gerald." Arnold beamed at his best friend over the Foosball table as they finished up their match. It was a cold drizzly day which was perfect weather for a Saturday afternoon at the arcade.

"Man, I saw this coming from a mile away!" Gerald smiled and shook his head.

"I want it to be perfect," Arnold said as him and Gerald went to sit down at a table, "I've been so nervous around her lately, I think she might be catching on."

"I don't think you could mess this up even if you wanted too." Gerald grabbed for the slice of pizza he had left there earlier.

"Oh, I don't know, Gerald," Arnold paused, "I don't even know for sure if she likes me like that."

Gerald choked and pizza bits flew from his mouth.

"Arnold, are you crazy!? Do you know who you're talking about?"

"Okay, okay;" Arnold couldn't help but smile, "what should I do?"

"Hmm, let's see… Maybe something on your rooftop?" Gerald sat and thought for a minute, "like get dressed up, set up a table and a couple chairs," He scratched his chin, "ask her there… and give her some flowers, chicks dig that sort of thing."

"Yeah, that sounds great! You always know how to impress the ladies." The pair exchanged their secret handshake.

"Mhm, you're right about that my man." Gerald finished his pizza and gestured for another round at the Foosball table, Arnold merrily obliged.


	24. Chapter 24

Helga sat on the edge of her bed, it was Wednesday morning and she was trying to muster the energy to get ready for school.

 _Ugh… I want to crawl back into that bed and sleep forever._

Helga looked between her alarm clock and her indented pillow and contemplated skipping school indefinitely to get some more sleep.

 _No, no. get your lazy ass up, you get to take your cast off today._

All of the sudden her flip phone lit up and let out a sharp ding. Helga reached over and opened it, she felt fuzzy as she looked down at Arnold's name. No matter how many times he texted her or called her, whenever she saw _his_ name on _her_ phone, it made her feel completely giddy. The text read:

meet me at my place at 9 friday night? I have something to show you :)

"... Show me?" Helga scratched her head. "What does he mean by that?"

lol ok ftball head c you then.

 _I should be able to make it there in time, if my shift at the Hillwood Market ends at 8:30 and it's only one transfer on the subway._ She thought to herself as she put down her phone and delightedly got out of bed, full of new found energy and ready to begin her day.


	25. Chapter 25

Helga's Friday dragged on. She couldn't wait to get out of school and go home to get ready for her new job. She was even more excited for her plans after and the fact that she could be fully independent again after getting that cast taken off. Helga rushed home and put in one of the mix CDs she had made into her CD player and began to look for an attractive, yet still work appropriate outfit. After sifting through every bit of clothing that she owned, Helga decided on a pair of skinny black jeans and a tight white v-neck with some clean white tennis shoes; since she was told she would be on her feet during her entire shift. Her hair had a bump in it from the ponytail she had it in during school so she ran her straightener through her otherwise sleek blonde hair. Helga reapplied her make-up, adding a little extra than she normally did because of the plans that lay ahead.

It was almost 3 o'clock and her shift began at 3:30. Helga ran down the stairs and flung open the front door. Big Bob was walking up the stoop as she flew past him.

"Hey, where's the fire!?" Bob called out to Helga.

"Sorry Bob, gonna be late for my first day of financial freedom!" She shouted back as she jogged down the street towards the bus stop.

"Wouldya stop calling me that! I'm your father!" Bob barked. "Yeesh… That girl." He hissed under his breath and stepped inside his home.


	26. Chapter 26

"Hey, hair boy! Can you show me how to figure out this clock-in machine, the thing is ancient!" Helga looked at Gerald and pointed at the old machine she was toying with. It was midway through her first shift and she was trying to clock out for her break.

Gerald stopped the restocking he was doing, went over and hit the top of the machine with his palm. All of a sudden there was a low buzzing as it lit up and allowed Helga to punch her new time card.

"That'll do it." He dusted off his hands and went back to his task.

"Thanks!" Helga turned and went to sit outside with her yahoo soda.

The time at work was flying by due to the fact that it was incredibly busy that night. Helga was shown the basics of bagging and then quickly sent out on the floor to begin helping customers. She must have bagged a thousand items by the time she was allowed to take her break, or at least it felt like it. As she finished up her soda, Helga wiped her face with the back of her hand and looked down to realize some of the makeup she was wearing had been wiped off.

"Great." She said flatly as she got up and chucked her yahoo soda bottle into the nearest trash can.

Helga went back inside, hit the clock-in machine with her palm, punched her card and headed towards the front of the store to finish up her day of work. She peered out and noticed that the place was even more crowded than when she had briefly left. She huffed and begrudgingly found a checkout stand to start bagging at.

"Yo, Trevor what time is it?" One of the cashiers looked at his coworker and motioned towards his wrist.

"It's almost 8:50."

"Wait, what time is it!?" Helga chimed in as she overheard the conversation.

"8:50." The cashier named Trevor repeated himself.

"I was supposed to be off twenty minutes ago!" Helga stepped back and began to head towards the back room. As she did so, a customer approached the checkout stand she had been working at and the cashier at the register gave her a look and a shrug. She sighed, stepped forward and began to help bag the customers groceries.


	27. Chapter 27

Arnold excitedly swept his rooftop. He had made a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs and was putting the final pieces together to create a small romantic scene on his roof patio. He finished sweeping and set up a table and two chairs, adding a small vase with a daisy in the middle. Arnold smiled to himself as he stepped down into his room and grabbed the two plates of spaghetti he had made and set them at the table. It wasn't the fanciest dinner, but it was really the only meal he knew how to cook other than grilled cheese and pancakes. Out of those three, he figured spaghetti was the most romantic.

The sun had set a while ago now. Arnold shivered and checked his watch, it was a simple digital one that his dad had gave him, but he cherished any gift from his parents and wore it with pride. It was almost 8:50.

 _She should be here soon._ Arnold's stomach did a small flip as he thought of what he was about to do. He began to think of little moments he had shared with Helga as they grew up. When they were in San Lorenzo together and she helped him find his parents, he remembered the fact that they even ended up in San Lorenzo was thanks to her and Gerald creating that thoughtful video. Before that, when she helped Gerald and him save the neighborhood.

 _That kiss._

Arnold blushed. The time she pretended to be blind at the April Fool's dance, or when Rhonda made that marriage predictor or whatever it was called, and she insisted Helga and him were going to get married.

 _You know, I think that was the first time I decided to try and see Helga for who she truly is._ Arnold grinned to himself.

He thought of the times he caught her in her own element, writing or daydreaming and the times her kindness shined through under her tough girl facade. Oh, and she is so funny, even without meaning to be. He chuckled at the thought of some of Helga's antics. Arnold dreamily looked down at his watch again, it was now almost 9:20.

 _Hmm, I hope she is okay…_ He sent her a text asking if she was and started tapping his foot nervously.

An hour passed. No word from Helga. Arnold frowned and touched the food he had made, the noodles were now ice cold. He tried to call her but it seemed her phone was off. He waited another twenty minutes and tried her home phone, no answer. _What is going on?_

By the time is was ten past eleven, Arnold figured at this point that she wasn't going to show up. He sighed, picked up the plates of now cold spaghetti, shut off the string lights above him and headed inside.


	28. Chapter 28

Three customers later and a quick apology from her shift supervisor, Helga was outside and on her way to the subway station. She grabbed her phone from her pocket and began to text Arnold to let him know she was running late, as she did so... it went black.

"Shit!" She squeezed the button down to try to get it to turn on. It was dead. "Okay, okay. Just get to his place, I'm sure he'll understand." Helga said to herself as she took a deep breath and continued towards the subway entrance.

The subway train came to a stop and Helga shoved her way up to the door, it was crowded but she wasn't going to miss that train. On board, she was lucky enough to find a seat and plop down in it. Her back was sore from standing on the concrete floors of the supermarket all evening. She put in her headphones that connected to the mp3 player she received as a birthday gift and closed her eyes for a moment.

After about ten minutes on the train, Helga realized it hadn't made a single stop. She took out one of her earbuds from her ear and looked up at the screen that showed each stop that the train made. In large print in the top left corner it said: EXPRESS.

"Are you serious!" Helga face palmed. "Crimeny! I'm on the express train!"

The passenger next to her eyeballed her and scooted away.

Helga reached for her flip phone and opened it to a black screen. "Oh yeah, and my phone is dead." She snorted. "Dead!"

She shoved her phone back in her pocket and pinched her eyes shut. She could feel hot tears trying to escape them.

When the train eventually stopped it was almost a twenty minute drive outside the main city of Hillwood. Helga searched for the subway schedule but found that there was no other train that was going back where she needed to go. Defeated, she seeked out a pay phone to call Big Bob and ask him to come pick her up.

"You're where?! What in the hell made you decide to go all the way out there?!" Bob bellowed over the phone.

"Just come get me. Okay?" Helga grumbled. "Please."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there. Just make sure you keep a lookout for my car little lady!"

"Okay." Helga hung up the phone and sat down on a nearby bench. She looked over to see a homeless man passed out behind a trash can, his pants wet from what one could assume was urine. She brought her legs up onto the bench and hugged her knees as she silently began to cry.


	29. Chapter 29

Overnight on the charger, Helga was finally able to get her phone to turn back on. She saw the texts and missed call from Arnold and sent a text to apologize.

sorry about last night. Long story.

She received a text back about fifteen minutes later, it was a one word reply.

cool.

"Yup. He's pissed." Helga closed her phone, sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. She needed to figure out a way to make it up to Arnold. She got out of bed and started to get ready.

 _Maybe if I go over there and explain what happened. Honestly, he probably only needed help on his homework, so I can just help him with that now._ Helga shrugged and began to brush her teeth.

As she approached the front stoop of Arnold's boarding house, she was spotted by Arnold's grandpa.

"Hey you, I just repainted that! Don't touch that!" He approached Helga as he waved his hands wildly towards the railing of the stoop. "Oh it's you, Arnold's little friend." Grandpa stopped and smiled. "You better get in there, the poor guy has been moping around all morning. Something about a girl standing him up last night." The elderly man scratched his chin.

"What?" Helga looked at him quizzically.

"Yeah, and it was so cute the way he set up the roof for their little date. Heh! He even cooked her dinner. She was a no show. Ya know, that boy sure has a good heart. I don't know what kind of hussy would do that to the kid." He shook his head. "Well good thing he has friends like you!" Grandpa slapped Helga on the back and began to mozy towards the side of the boarding house.

Helga stood at the bottom of the stoop, slack jawed. _Was that set up for me!?_ Helga slid her hand into her pocket and felt for her gold locket. She held it and swooned. _Oh Arnold, how could I leave you alone and abandoned? Why must fate never work in our favor. My dearest Arnold…_

"Helga?"

"What!?" Helga snapped and spun around to see Arnold standing at his front door looking down at her. "Oh, uh Arnold!" She quickly dropped her locket and put her hands behind her back.

"What are you doing here?" Arnold didn't move from the front door.

"Look, I wanted to apologize for last night. I trie-"

"It's okay. It wasn't a big deal anyhow." Arnold gave her a disheartened wave and began to walk back inside.

"Hey, wouldya let me finish what I was trying to say?" Helga continued, slightly annoyed.

"Okay." He turned back around and crossed his arms.

"What I was going to say," She shot Arnold a look. "Yesterday was a disaster."

"You can say that again." Arnold scoffed.

"You know what, forget it! See you around, football head!" Helga threw up her hands and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Arnold ran down his stoop. "Come back, please finish what you were saying." He called as he caught up with her and turned her around to face him. She looked up at him, scowling. When the pair locked eyes, Helga could feel her face soften, she let out a soft sigh.

"It was a horrible day Arnold. It was my first day of work over at Hillwood market. Which was crazy enough. I got out late and tried to text you but then my crap phone died on me, and so I tried to head over here and ended up catching an express train to the bowels of hell." Helga scrunched up her nose as she thought of the area Bob picked her up from the night before. "I really did try to make it here." She lowered her eyes and paused for a moment. "Look, I'm sorry."

Arnold felt his disappointment melt away with her apology and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay, today will be better. Let me show you what I was going to show you last night." He beamed at Helga, took her by the hand and led her up into the boarding house.


	30. Chapter 30

"Look at this." Arnold grabbed a shoebox from one of the shelves in his room and placed it in front of Helga.

"Shoes?"

"No, just open it."

Helga slowly opened the old box, what she saw inside made her gasp.

"My bow!" She picked up a small pink hair bow and happily squeezed it. "And your little blue hat, an old baseball signed by Mickey Kaline, an Agatha Caulfield book, a half eaten pack of gum and your dad's journal. What is all of this?" Helga looked up at Arnold who was sporting a small smile.

"They're all things that are really important me."

"My bow was in there, how'd you get that? I haven't seen it since-" Helga trailed off. She remembered losing it a few days before she left Hillwood.

"You left it on a bench during gym back in middle school. I meant to give it back to you, but you left before I got the chance." Arnold gently laid his hand on Helga's. She felt her face get hot and her cheeks flush red. "I wanted to show you I kept it after all this time. I knew how much it meant to you and I always hoped I would see you again someday so I could give it back." He stopped and rubbed the back of his neck. " Helga, since you moved back it has made me realize a lot of things and when I think about you I can't help but feel a great sense of happiness or fulfillment or, or I don't know just something amazing... Maybe that sounds crazy." He looked around the room nervously, trying to gather his thoughts. "What I'm trying to say is, I like you a lot. I mean, I… I l-" Arnold paused, ran his hands through his hair then clutched Helga's shoulders and looked at her, seemingly mesmerized. "- wow."

Before Helga could comprehend what was going on he was pulling her in and kissing her. Her eyes grew wide and her mind began to race. Then, everything went blissfully blank before she gave in and softly grabbed his head to pull him deeper into the kiss.

"Hey sweetie, I made some pizza rolls for lunch if you and Helga want some!" Arnold's mom Stella called up from downstairs. The pair quickly broke apart.

"Um, okay thanks mom!" Arnold called back. He looked at Helga and let out a small awkward chuckle, she nervously tittered in response.

"I... I like you too Arnold," Helga shifted anxiously, "I always have…" She grinned up at him sheepishly, then looked away blushing. He laughed, pulled her closer and sweetly kissed her on the top of the head.


	31. Chapter 31

"So are you guys like a couple now?" Gerald raised his eyebrow at his best friend as the two of them walked up the main steps into school.

"I think so…" Arnold stopped and thought for a moment. "Actually, how do you know when you're a couple, Gerald?"

"Well, I just asked Phoebe after our second official date if she wanted to be my girl and she said yes. That was that." Gerald took a bite from the apple he was carrying, "Did you ask her?"

"No, not exactly. We kissed though."

"Damn, my man!" Gerald punched Arnold in the arm proudly. "But when you gonna move on to the more serious stuff? You've been kissing that girl on and off since we were like nine years old. That stuff is for JV, time to graduate to the varsity league." He laughed as he watched his best friend turn bright pink.

"C'mon, how can I do that when I don't even know if she's my girlfriend?"

"Easy, you just-"

"Gerald!" Arnold shushed him.

"I'm just messin' with you." Gerald snickered. "Loosen up."

"What should I do?" They had reached their lockers and Arnold began to fumble with his lock.

"Man, just ask her! 'Will you be my girlfriend.' You can do it in person, over text, with an email, a card, a pigeon, even a messenger boy! Just do it! Trust me, she won't say no." Gerald sighed. "Arnold, you are thinking too much about this, she likes you… Shit, I'm pretty sure she is in love with you. Stop worrying so much." He took one last bite of his apple and threw it in the closest trash bin.

"You really think so, Gerald? You think Helga could be in love with me?"

Gerald rolled his eyes. "Maybe, you'll probably know for sure when she's your girl." He was starting to lose patience with the Helga subject.

"You're right man." Arnold closed his locker. "Hey, thanks for helping me with all this." Arnold smiled.

"Anytime bro." Gerald reached out his hand and the pair exchanged their special handshake before going in separate directions to class.


	32. Chapter 32

Helga's phone buzzed.

meet me after school at the steps :)

She swooned and responded almost immediately.

ok :)

Ever since Saturday Helga felt like she was floating on a cloud. She woke up on Monday grinning from ear to ear. She hummed merily to herself as she got ready for school and tried to resist the urge to skip to the bus stop. Life couldn't get any better.

"Oh, hey Pheebs!" Helga waved as she made her way over to Phoebe.

"Helga, you look happy, did you have a good weekend?" She greeted her friend with a kind smile and closed her locker.

"Look," Helga reached into her pocket and pulled out her pink bow. "It's my old bow."

"Wow, where did you find it? I haven't seen you wear that in forever." Phoebe wondered where this was leading.

"Arnold had it," Helga beamed. "He kept it all these years."

"He gave it back over the weekend? How did he even have it?"

"I lost it before my move. He found it. Anyhow, that isn't all…" Helga sighed and looked off in the distance as a wobbly grin fell across her face. "He told me he likes me, Pheebs."

"What? Like he like likes you?" Phoebe asked.

"I think so," Helga raised her eyebrow. "Jee Pheebs, like me like me? We're not ten." Helga chuckled playfully as Phoebe gave her a small shrug. "But I mean after he said that, he," Helga dropped her voice to a whisper. "kissed me." She squeezed her bow happily.

"Aw Helga that's wonderful! See? I told you! I always had a feeling he had a crush on you." Phoebe giggled and returned her best friend's joyful attitude. She knew how much this meant to Helga and couldn't be happier for her. The two sat there for a moment taking in the great news until Phoebe looked down at her phone and realized she was going to be late for class, "oh shoot, I better get going, the bell is about to ring. See you after school?"

"Actually, Arnold asked me to meet him by the bus stop, I'll text you though." Helga gave her a quick hug and headed towards her first class, still holding back the urge to skip down the halls.


	33. Chapter 33

"Helga!" Arnold smiled and waved the pretty young blonde over. When she approached, he scooped her up in his arms and into a tight hug. Helga was taken back by such a public display of affection, especially considering he did this right in front of the bus most of their peers were on. Her natural reaction was to squirm out of the hug, but deep down she enjoyed the attention she was receiving.

"Jeez Arnoldo, let me breathe." Helga stepped back and dusted herself off.

"Sorry Helga, I was just happy to see you." Arnold stuffed his hands in his pockets and bashfully looked down at his shoes.

Helga saw his excitement shift and felt guilty, "it's okay," She linked arms with him and grinned, "we better get on the bus, I don't want to walk all the way to…" Helga paused, "actually, where are we going anyhow?"

"Yeah, let's get on the bus. I was thinking we could go to the park." Arnold lead Helga onto the bus and the couple found a seat towards the back. As they made their way to their seats, several of their schoolmates hooted, gave them thumbs up and one of them even shouted "Finally!" from the back of the bus. Arnold laughed while Helga bashfully stared at the floor. The only person seemingly uninterested in their new union was Rhonda. She gave them a disapproving look and flipped her hair as the two walked past her and Nadine.

"Do you see that, Nadine?" Rhonda scoffed. "I guess Helga enjoys my sloppy seconds. Maybe I'll just have to remind her who had him first."

"C'mon Rhonda, don't." Nadine replied.

"You're supposed to be on my side. You know, I could have had him back with me at anytime if I wanted too!" Rhonda began to fume.

"Yes, I know." Nadine turned to look out the window so her friend couldn't see her eye roll.

"Hmph! What a downgrade…" Rhonda scowled. "I suppose anyone is a downgrade after me though." She let out a shrill laugh and began to vigorously file her nails, glaring back at Arnold and Helga every few minutes. Rhonda and Harold were still dating, sort of. She didn't necessarily like Arnold anymore, but it did bother her to see him with anyone else. Also, considering he was the only guy to technically break up with her, he had left a sore spot in her heart.

"I'm going over there, Nadine." Rhonda began to get out of her seat.

"Really Rhonda?" Nadine grasped at Rhonda's sleeve. Rhonda snatched her arm away.

"Don't 'really Rhonda' me. If you can't back me up on this, I'm so not going to with you to your bug convention or whatever it is next month!"

"Okay. Go say what you have to say, I guess." Nadine waved her away uninterested.

"I will!" Rhonda stomped towards the back of the bus.

She approached the couple as Helga was offering one of her earbuds to Arnold. Helga looked up at Rhonda who was frowning down at them.

"Oh God, what do you want Rhonda?" Helga crossed her arms.

"I- I just wanted to say," Rhonda hadn't thought about an actual response, she tried to compose herself. "I hope you enjoy Arnold as much as I did, Helga."

But then, Rhonda felt a light bulb go off.

"Luckily, he is really good at leaving hickeys in places that can easily be covered, if you know what I mean," Rhonda winked and smirked, pleased with what she came up with. It satisfied her to see their faces contort in response.

"That's cute, Rhonda. Tell us, how many other boys have you let give you hickeys in hidden places? I heard quite a few." Helga returned her smirk and shooed her away. "Go on, go play."

Rhonda stared at her fuming. "Whatever Helga, you're such a bitch." she turned on her heel, clenched her fists and huffed.

"I know!" Helga called after her and laughed as Rhonda made it back to her seat. "Thank you!"

"Can you believe her!?" Helga asked Arnold. "Crimeny, how pathetic can you be?" She chortled.

"Helga, I… I never did that kind of stuff with her." Arnold still wore a look of shock.

"It's okay football head, I believe you." Helga smiled and ruffled Arnold's hair. She offered him her earbud again, he gave her a look of relief while taking the earbud and contently putting it in his ear.


	34. Chapter 34

"So Helga," Arnold stopped and turned to her, interrupting their quiet stroll through the park. They found themselves close to an old bench that had been there since they could remember, "let's sit down." Arnold motioned at the bench.

"Why are we stopping?" Helga raised her eyebrow while she sat down.

Arnold nervously ran his hand through his hair, "Okay so-"

"Wait before you say anything I want to give something to you," Helga gently stopped him, "Here goes nothing," Helga pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper, slowly and cautiously handing it to Arnold.

"What's this?" Arnold unfolded the paper revealing a letter.

"No don't unfold it! Just read it later!"

"Why not now?"

"Jeez I don't know football head! Maybe I'm shy or something, okay?"

"I'm reading it now." Arnold smirked and looked down at the writing.

Helga struggled to snatch the letter back, but Arnold held her back with his arm as he read,

 _ **Dear Arnold,**_

 _ **I'm writing this to you the night you gave me my pink bow back. You want to know the reason that old bow is so special to me? I was wearing it the first day of preschool when I met you, you said you liked it. It was the first time I was ever noticed by anyone and I'll never forget that moment. Thank you for saving it for me.**_

 _ **Sincerely,**_

 _ **Helga**_

Arnold turned to Helga with a big grin on his face. He never knew he had anything to do with why she was so attached to her bow.

"You happy?" Helga scowled, "you read the stupid letter."

"It's not stupid, Helga. It's actually really sweet," Arnold smiled down at the letter, neatly folded it back up and put it in his pocket. He looked back at Helga, breathed in and cleared his throat, she was still scowling at him, "I'm just going to say it, will you be my girlfriend?" Arnold exhaled.

Helga's face contorted from annoyance to shock and she just stared at him.

 _Am I dreaming?_ Helga thought as she gawked at Arnold.

"Helga?" Arnold patted her on her hand, "please say something."

"I- uh, I- uh,"

"Helga?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" She finally shouted excitedly, startling Arnold, "I mean, uh sure, cool, I guess we can date or whatever."

Arnold hesitantly scooted closer and put his arm around Helga, after a moment she laid her head on his shoulder. He grinned to himself as they quietly sat on the old park bench together.

That's the end of that part of the story. I do have a second part mostly written for the rest of their eleventh grade school year. It does get a bit darker and there is more hurt/comfort than there is fluff. Let me know if you'd like to read more and thank you for taking your time to read my fic! :D


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